July 17, 2012 – LONDON – Fabian Kessl, an academic visitor from the Department of Social Work, believes the riots are symbolic of a change that is occurring within society and unless the problems are addressed, it is only a matter of time before further riots occur. Professor Kessl explains: “As long as the politics in England go in the same direction as we have experienced in the last years: disrespecting people’s everyday needs, demolishing the idea of the public and strengthening the consumer capitalism – the pre-conditions for a new political revolt are furthermore given. It’s just the question of another “trigger’ like the death of Mark Duggan on the 4th of August last year.” Professor Kessl is undertaking a study into the 2011 riots, analyzing the perspectives of those working in the public services following an observation that those working in youth services or youth work did not offer public commentary following the riots. His research has revealed that both those taking part in the riots and the police responding to the violence described the events as surreal. The already existing data, like the current report of the Youth Justice Board, show that young people people likened the rioting to going to a theme park. One rioter, quoted by the Youth Justice Board-Report said: “It was like when you go to a theme park and go on a rollercoaster – that kind of good scared. Instead of fearing for yourself – it didn’t feel real”. Similarly, a police officer, named in the Reading the Riots Study by London School of Economics and The Guarding describes the events as being “surreal” and “like a movie”. Much commentary regarding the cause of the riots has focused on the “opportunism”. But Professor Kessl believes that this takes many forms – the opportunity to “get back” at the police, at being a sovereign consumer for a few hours even and to show their anger at racial discrimination. “It was about just being visible, being heard, and also putting down the animosities and battles between the gangs for a little time, because there was a bigger enemy,” as a interviewee said to Professor Kessl. He believes that unless the underlying causes of the riots are tackled, then there will be a repeat of the events of August last year and that the Government’s tough punishment will not change that. –Physics

5 Responses to Expert warns London riots will happen again

Unemployment, hopeless futures, a banking system that is basically a casino, the financial industry where investment firms have been given free reign to bait and switch, leading to a transfer of wealth, the loss of equity in private assets including property. Rising cost of food, the continued wars which no one seems to agree to but Israel and the politicians. Bleak future for the kids. Destabilization of nations. And conspiracies that seem to be pointing to rigged system at every turn, including fraud, murder and larceny. All at the same time. Expect riots when this occurs.

Wendy does a decent job of breaking down reasons people are steered to riot, especially in the heat of summer 2011. I’m wondering what the point is for Prof. Kessl’s analysis of the analysis. Is it to remind and alert the Brits of the ‘London Calling’ of WWII – that a planned replay during the Olympics in the heat of summer 2012 is expected? Both Wendy and the Prof. ended with “Expect more riots.”

So far as I know, no government in the West has EVER used a fatal, military response to an urban riot. With things like advanced Spectre gunships that can target individuals with software and fire hundreds/thousands of rounds per minute, a modern military response could end a riot in seconds, if a government ever chooses to do so. If such an event ever happens ONCE, will rioters ever riot again to “express” themselves, outraged or not? (I’ve read Texas Rangers used to say ‘One Riot, One Ranger’ because in frontier days they would shoot riot leaders and riots would stop. What if the political will was ever present simply to shoot all rioters? Would riots stop?)

Hi, I’m not sure what you mean by fatal, but here in Northern Ireland (we are western) the police and army engaged rioters during the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and early part of the 2000’s. They would use rubber bullets which are now illegial and on occasion in the 70’s automatic riffles. In fact last summer in the London Riots 100’s of Police officers from Northern Ireland where brought accross to London as the London police didn’t have a clue or experience around wide spread riots.

@markLoise…that may give rise to something that does more than simply seek to express whatever…something that then sets out to destroy the destroyer….and there is no telling what kind of intelligence that may turn out to be…and no telling what it would resort to….or how it would function…”hundreds of thousands of rounds per minute”…that’s the sort of way I would describe a viral attack…all our modes of thought arise from the hierarchical pyramid which is the organizational structure of our civilization…thoughts that arise from some other kind of organizational structure would be alien and difficult to respond to…and now there are clear indications of such an organizational structure emerging and consolidating itself…and organizational structure that we have no laws to register and regulate…because it cannot easily be conceptualized….and hence its nature understood and predicted…